3 Cheese Mushroom And Spinach Lasagna

Ingredients

 

1 Tablespoon Kosher salt plus more to taste

Good olive oil

3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles

1Litre whole milk

12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes

750 g cremini and/or white mushrooms (any mushrooms you like will do)

500 g baby spinach

1 500 ml container ricotta cheese

1 cup freshly ground Parmesan

250 g Mozzarella cheese, grated

Directions 

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain, toss in a small amount of olive oil and set aside on a baking tray to cool.

Clean the mushrooms and slice them 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) sauté pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt to taste, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside.

Wash the baby spinach and wilt in a large pan until cooked.  Drain, let cool and then squeeze the excess water from it.  Chop the spinach and combine with the ricotta cheese.

For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, nutmeg and the chili flakes, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat. DO NOT let it cool too much or it will set and be difficult to spread. But ensure it is cool enough so that the cheese doesn’t melt on contact.

To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/2 of the mushrooms, and 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and 1/3 mozzarella. For the next layer, place another layer of the noodles and some of the sauce.  Spread the spinach and ricotta mixture on top. Repeat 1 more layer: noodles, sauce, mushrooms, Parmesan and mozzarella. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan and mozzarella.

Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. If it is browning too quickly cover with foil.  Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot.

6 servings

French Lentil Soup

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoons extra–virgin olive oil
• 4 slices Bacon, cut into lardons
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped celery stalks
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 5 cups (or more) chicken stock
• 1 1/4 cups green du puy lentils, rinsed, drained
• 1 14 1/2–ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
• Balsamic vinegar (optional)
• 2 Tablespoons chopped parsley

Preparation

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium–high heat. Add bacon and render until done.  Remove with a slotted spoon and keep to the side, draining on a paper towel.  Add onions, celery, carrots and sauté until vegetables begin to brown, about 12 minutes.  Add garlic and cook 3 minutes more.  Add 5 cups broth, lentils, and tomatoes with juice and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium–low, cover, and simmer until lentils are tender, about 35 minutes.

Transfer 2 cups soup (mostly solids) to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to soup in pan and thin soup with more broth by the 1/4 cup, if too thick. Season with salt, pepper and a splash of vinegar, if desired.  Stir in ¾ of the chopped parsley. Ladle soup into bowls.  Garnish with remaining parsley and the rendered bacon.